Madisonville, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Madisonville is a city
in Hopkins County
, Kentucky
, United States of the Western Coal Field
region, located along US 41
and The Pennyrile Parkway
. The population was 19,307 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Hopkins County
. The city was named in honor of U.S. President
James Madison
.
Madisonville is a commercial center of the region and is home to Madisonville Community College
.
). Madisonville was named the county seat of Hopkins County in 1808 and was incorporated in 1810.
Hopkins County and Madisonville were divided by the Civil War
. Union supporters joined a regiment recruited locally by James Shackleford; Al Fowler recruited Confederate troops. The courthouse in Madisonville was burned by Confederates led by Gen. Hylan B. Lyon on December 17, 1864, as they passed through western Kentucky. The policies imposed by the occupying Union armies caused resentment and sparked sympathy for the Confederate cause.
Farming was the major occupation in Hopkins County for most of the 1800s, with tobacco the leading crop. Around 1837 an outcropping of coal was discovered and the first coal mine in the county opened in 1869. Mining did not become a major industry until the Louisville & Nashville Railroad pushed its line southward from Henderson
through Madisonville and toward Nashville
in 1870. By the early 1900s, Madisonville was a rail hub, coal mining center, and had a large tobacco market. This continued until the 1960s when manufacturing and service industries came to the area.
On November 15, 2005, a tornado
ripped through the city, destroying some parts of it. The tornado began to form around 3:00 PM. The local Country Club neighborhood was greatly affected by the storm. The home of Madisonville resident and former Boston Celtics
star Frank Ramsey
was destroyed in the storm. Mayor Karen Cunningham ordered a curfew
in parts of the city and declared a state of emergency
.
In January 2009, a severe ice storm hit Madisonville. Hopkins County and much of the rest of state of Kentucky were affected. Madisonville was placed under a curfew for the safety of the citizens. The storm was responsible for widespread power outages and damage to homes as well as trees. Many residents were without power for weeks and tree limb clean-up took months to complete. Many out-of-state power companies assisted the local power companies to speed up the process of re-powering the town.
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 18.5 square miles (48.0 km²), of which 17.8 square miles (46.1 km²) is land and 0.7 square mile (1.9 km²) (3.94%) is water.
of 2000, there were 19,307 people, 8,077 households, and 5,330 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,085.0 people per square mile (418.8/km²). There were 8,889 housing units at an average density of 499.5 per square mile (192.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.21% White, 11.24% Black or African American
, 0.18% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races
, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.
There were 8,077 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,097, and the median income for a family was $38,688. Males had a median income of $32,064 versus $20,940 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,381. About 13.0% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
, Carhartt
, Rexam
, Land O' Frost and other corporations have operations in the area.
During the 1970s, the Regional Medical Center (RMC) and Trover Clinic were built by the Trover Foundation (which is now Trover Health Systems). RMC is a 410-bed hospital that offers services typically found in larger cities (such as life flight
, women's health
centers, and a comprehensive cancer center). Trover Clinic is clinic and administration building that offers most medical tests and procedures.
Madisonville is a wet city in the county of Hopkins County
; making it a moist county
, one of only sixteen in the state.
Elementary schools:
Grapevine Elementary, West Broadway Elementary, Pride Avenue Elementary, Hanson Elementary, Earlington Elementary, Jesse Stuart Elementary, Southside Elementary, and West Hopkins School.
Middle schools:
Browning Springs Middle School, South Hopkins Middle School, West Hopkins School, and James Madison Middle School.
High schools:
Hopkins County Central High School and Madisonville North Hopkins High School
.
Madisonville is also home to Madisonville Community College
, which consolidated with Madisonville Technical College in 2001. The college is a member of the sixteen-college Kentucky Community and Technical College System
(KCTCS). The school is also affiliated with Murray State University
, Lindsey Wilson College
, the University of Kentucky
, and the University of Louisville
. Because of these university partnerships, the college offers many associate and bachelor degrees that are normally found only at the university level.
: a north-south corridor that connects Hopkinsville
with Henderson
and feeds into U.S. 41A
at Hopkinsville, leading to I-24
East. This section of the Pennyrile Parkway will be incorporated into the new I-69
Corridor. The Western Kentucky Parkway
is a few miles south of the town. The Western Kentucky Parkway's westbound lanes feed into I-24 West; the eastbound lanes feed into I-65
East via the Blue Grass Parkway at Elizabethtown
. The Western Kentucky Parkway also intersects I-65, which feeds into Bowling Green
to the south. In addition to trucking routes, CSX Railway
runs through Madisonville.
The Madisonville Municipal Airport
has a runway that is 6050 feet (1,844 m) x 100 feet (30.5 m).
parade. The parade features military and veterans units, floats, local marching bands, church groups and other units. The parade route is along Main Street U.S. 41 from North Avenue to McCoy Ave. The route passes the Hopkins County Courthouse and many downtown office buildings and businesses. The city also has a Christmas
parade in early December.
On the second Friday of summer months the city hosts Friday Night Live, a street festival located downtown featuring live music, food, and other free entertainment.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Hopkins County
Hopkins County, Kentucky
Hopkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1807. As of 2000, the population was 46,519. Its county seat is Madisonville. The county is named for General Samuel Hopkins, an officer in both the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and later a Kentucky legislator...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, United States of the Western Coal Field
Western Coal Fields
thumb|right|Regions of Kentucky, with the Western Coal Fields shown in brownThe Western Coal Fields of Kentucky compose an area in the west-central part of the state, bounded by the Dripping Springs Escarpment. This area is bordered on three sides by the Pennyroyal Plateau and to the north by the...
region, located along US 41
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41 is a north–south United States Highway that runs from Miami, Florida to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, was U.S...
and The Pennyrile Parkway
Pennyrile Parkway
The Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway is a controlled-access highway from Henderson to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The parkway begins at Henderson as a continuation of the limited-access U.S. Route 41 at exit 81; the northernmost three miles of the Pennyrile Parkway are signed as US 41...
. The population was 19,307 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Hopkins County
Hopkins County, Kentucky
Hopkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1807. As of 2000, the population was 46,519. Its county seat is Madisonville. The county is named for General Samuel Hopkins, an officer in both the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and later a Kentucky legislator...
. The city was named in honor of U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
.
Madisonville is a commercial center of the region and is home to Madisonville Community College
Madisonville Community College
Madisonville Community College , located in Madisonville, KY, is one of 16 two-year, open-admissions colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System . MCC was originally established as a member of the University of Kentucky's Community College System in 1968...
.
History
Madisonville was founded in 1807 and named for James Madison (who was then Secretary of StateUnited States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
). Madisonville was named the county seat of Hopkins County in 1808 and was incorporated in 1810.
Hopkins County and Madisonville were divided by the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Union supporters joined a regiment recruited locally by James Shackleford; Al Fowler recruited Confederate troops. The courthouse in Madisonville was burned by Confederates led by Gen. Hylan B. Lyon on December 17, 1864, as they passed through western Kentucky. The policies imposed by the occupying Union armies caused resentment and sparked sympathy for the Confederate cause.
Farming was the major occupation in Hopkins County for most of the 1800s, with tobacco the leading crop. Around 1837 an outcropping of coal was discovered and the first coal mine in the county opened in 1869. Mining did not become a major industry until the Louisville & Nashville Railroad pushed its line southward from Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
through Madisonville and toward Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in 1870. By the early 1900s, Madisonville was a rail hub, coal mining center, and had a large tobacco market. This continued until the 1960s when manufacturing and service industries came to the area.
On November 15, 2005, a tornado
Mid-November 2005 Tornado Outbreak
The Mid-November 2005 outbreak was an unseasonably strong tornado outbreak on November 15, 2005 in the central United States. It occurred along a cold front separating warm, humid air from the southeast from cold Arctic air to the north and northwest...
ripped through the city, destroying some parts of it. The tornado began to form around 3:00 PM. The local Country Club neighborhood was greatly affected by the storm. The home of Madisonville resident and former Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
star Frank Ramsey
Frank Ramsey (basketball)
Frank Vernon Ramsey, Jr. is a former professional basketball player and coach. A 6-3 guard, he played his entire nine-year NBA career with the Boston Celtics and played a major role in the early part of their dynasty, winning seven championships...
was destroyed in the storm. Mayor Karen Cunningham ordered a curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
in parts of the city and declared a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
.
In January 2009, a severe ice storm hit Madisonville. Hopkins County and much of the rest of state of Kentucky were affected. Madisonville was placed under a curfew for the safety of the citizens. The storm was responsible for widespread power outages and damage to homes as well as trees. Many residents were without power for weeks and tree limb clean-up took months to complete. Many out-of-state power companies assisted the local power companies to speed up the process of re-powering the town.
Geography
Madisonville is located at 37°19′58"N 87°30′8"W (37.332660, -87.502190), approximately 125 miles southwest of LouisvilleLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 18.5 square miles (48.0 km²), of which 17.8 square miles (46.1 km²) is land and 0.7 square mile (1.9 km²) (3.94%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 19,307 people, 8,077 households, and 5,330 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,085.0 people per square mile (418.8/km²). There were 8,889 housing units at an average density of 499.5 per square mile (192.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.21% White, 11.24% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.18% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.34% of the population.
There were 8,077 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,097, and the median income for a family was $38,688. Males had a median income of $32,064 versus $20,940 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $19,381. About 13.0% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Because of its location near important roadways, Madisonville is a leading manufacturing hub for western Kentucky. Industrial and factory production has revitalized the local post-coal economy. GE Aviation, Jennmar, International Automotive Components Group (IAC), AhlstromAhlstrom
Ahlstrom is a Finnish wood processing firm and a global manufacturer of specialty papers and nonwoven materials, using natural and synthetic fibers to produce roll goods for customers who turn them into hundreds of products. Ahlstrom's shares have been traded on the main list of the Helsinki Stock...
, Carhartt
Carhartt
Carhartt, Inc., is a U.S.-based clothing company founded in 1889. It is still a family-owned company, owned by the descendants of company founder Hamilton Carhartt, with its headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.-Carhartt in the United States:...
, Rexam
Rexam
Rexam PLC is a global consumer packaging company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest manufacturer of beverage cans in the world and a leading producer of plastic packaging...
, Land O' Frost and other corporations have operations in the area.
During the 1970s, the Regional Medical Center (RMC) and Trover Clinic were built by the Trover Foundation (which is now Trover Health Systems). RMC is a 410-bed hospital that offers services typically found in larger cities (such as life flight
Life Flight
Memorial Hermann Life Flight is an air medical transport service based in Houston, Texas. Life Flight flies into 12th floor of the John S. Dunn Heli-Stop atop Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. It was founded in 1976.-History:...
, women's health
Women's health
Women's health refers to health issues specific to human female anatomy. These often relate to structures such as female genitalia and breasts or to conditions caused by hormones specific to, or most notable in, females. Women's health issues include menstruation, contraception, maternal health,...
centers, and a comprehensive cancer center). Trover Clinic is clinic and administration building that offers most medical tests and procedures.
Madisonville is a wet city in the county of Hopkins County
Hopkins County, Kentucky
Hopkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1807. As of 2000, the population was 46,519. Its county seat is Madisonville. The county is named for General Samuel Hopkins, an officer in both the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and later a Kentucky legislator...
; making it a moist county
Moist county
In the United States, a moist county is a county on the "middle ground" between a dry county and a wet county . The term is typically used as a generalization for a county that allows alcohol to be sold in certain situations, but has limitations on alcohol sales that a normal wet county wouldn't...
, one of only sixteen in the state.
Government
Madisonville is the county seat of Hopkins County. Government operations for the city are based out of several buildings including a government building on Center Street and the Madisonville City Hall on Main Street.| Mayor | Term start | Term end | Party | Born | Alma mater | Profession | Other | Spouse | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Jackson | January 1, 2011 | Incumbent | University of Kentucky University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky... |
certified public accountant certified management accountant |
licensed minister | Leigh Ann Adkins | Church of God Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) The Church of God, with headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee, is a Pentecostal Christian denomination. With over seven million members in over 170 countries, it is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the world... |
||
| Will Cox | January 1, 2007 | December 31, 2010 | Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
September 14, 1967 (age 44) Madisonville, Kentucky |
University of Kentucky University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky... Louis D. Brandeis School of Law Louis D. Brandeis School of Law The Louis D. Brandeis School of Law is the law school of the University of Louisville. Established in 1846, it is the oldest law school in Kentucky and the fifth oldest in the country in continuous operation. The law school is named after Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis, who served on the Supreme... |
attorney | former city council member | Marci | Disciples of Christ |
| Ron Sanders | December 31, 2006 |
Education
Madisonville and most of Hopkins County are in the Hopkins County School District. Hopkins County Schools operate eight elementary school, four middle school, and two high school sub-districts.Elementary schools:
Grapevine Elementary, West Broadway Elementary, Pride Avenue Elementary, Hanson Elementary, Earlington Elementary, Jesse Stuart Elementary, Southside Elementary, and West Hopkins School.
Middle schools:
Browning Springs Middle School, South Hopkins Middle School, West Hopkins School, and James Madison Middle School.
High schools:
Hopkins County Central High School and Madisonville North Hopkins High School
Madisonville North Hopkins High School
Madisonville-North Hopkins High School opened in Madisonville, Kentucky in fall 1968. The school, located on Hanson Road, replaced the old Madisonville High School. Classes had graduated from the Spring Street facility from 1939-1968. The building now houses Browning Springs Middle School...
.
Madisonville is also home to Madisonville Community College
Madisonville Community College
Madisonville Community College , located in Madisonville, KY, is one of 16 two-year, open-admissions colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System . MCC was originally established as a member of the University of Kentucky's Community College System in 1968...
, which consolidated with Madisonville Technical College in 2001. The college is a member of the sixteen-college Kentucky Community and Technical College System
Kentucky Community and Technical College System
Headquartered in Versailles, Kentucky, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System comprises 16 colleges with over 68 campuses. Programs offered include associate degrees, pre-baccalaureate education to transfer to a public 4-year institution; adult education, continuing and developmental...
(KCTCS). The school is also affiliated with Murray State University
Murray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
, Lindsey Wilson College
Lindsey Wilson College
Lindsey Wilson College is a private four-year college affiliated with the United Methodist Church in an open ecumenical atmosphere. The 45 acre campus is located in Columbia, Kentucky. The school currently offers associate degrees in 11 areas of study, bachelor degrees in 20 areas of study and...
, the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, and the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
. Because of these university partnerships, the college offers many associate and bachelor degrees that are normally found only at the university level.
Transportation
Madisonville is bisected laterally by the Pennyrile ParkwayPennyrile Parkway
The Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway is a controlled-access highway from Henderson to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The parkway begins at Henderson as a continuation of the limited-access U.S. Route 41 at exit 81; the northernmost three miles of the Pennyrile Parkway are signed as US 41...
: a north-south corridor that connects Hopkinsville
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Hopkinsville is a city in Christian County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 31,577 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Christian County.- History :...
with Henderson
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
and feeds into U.S. 41A
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41 is a north–south United States Highway that runs from Miami, Florida to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, was U.S...
at Hopkinsville, leading to I-24
Interstate 24
Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....
East. This section of the Pennyrile Parkway will be incorporated into the new I-69
Interstate 69
Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. It exists in two parts: a completed highway from Indianapolis, Indiana, northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan, and a mostly proposed extension southwest to the Mexican border in Texas...
Corridor. The Western Kentucky Parkway
Western Kentucky Parkway
The Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway is a controlled-access highway running from Elizabethtown, Kentucky to near Eddyville, Kentucky. It intersects with Interstate 65 at its eastern terminus, and Interstate 24 at its western terminus. It is one of nine highways that are part of the...
is a few miles south of the town. The Western Kentucky Parkway's westbound lanes feed into I-24 West; the eastbound lanes feed into I-65
Interstate 65
Interstate 65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. The southern terminus is located at an intersection with Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 90 , U.S. Route 12, and U.S...
East via the Blue Grass Parkway at Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown is a city in and the county seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,531 at the 2010 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in the state...
. The Western Kentucky Parkway also intersects I-65, which feeds into Bowling Green
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,067 as of the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2009...
to the south. In addition to trucking routes, CSX Railway
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
runs through Madisonville.
The Madisonville Municipal Airport
Madisonville Municipal Airport (Kentucky)
Madisonville Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located five nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Madisonville, a city in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
has a runway that is 6050 feet (1,844 m) x 100 feet (30.5 m).
Events of interest
Madisonville hosts Kentucky's largest annual Veterans DayVeterans Day
Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark...
parade. The parade features military and veterans units, floats, local marching bands, church groups and other units. The parade route is along Main Street U.S. 41 from North Avenue to McCoy Ave. The route passes the Hopkins County Courthouse and many downtown office buildings and businesses. The city also has a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
parade in early December.
On the second Friday of summer months the city hosts Friday Night Live, a street festival located downtown featuring live music, food, and other free entertainment.
Notable natives
- Travis FordTravis FordTravis Ford is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's head coach at Oklahoma State University. He was previously the head coach at Campbellsville University, Eastern Kentucky University, and the University of Massachusetts...
, college basketballCollege basketballCollege basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coachCoach (basketball)Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is... - The Happy Goodman FamilyThe Happy Goodman FamilyThe Happy Goodman Family was a Southern Gospel group founded in the 1940s by Howard "Happy" Goodman.The Happy Goodman Family began to be known for their singing around 1950. During the 1940s and 1950s there were various combinations of all eight brothers and sisters, with Howard being constant...
, southern gospel family group; including founding members Vestal GoodmanVestal GoodmanVestal Goodman was a singer who performed in the Southern Gospel genre for more than half a century. She is known both as a solo performer and as a founding member of official The Happy Goodman Family, the first was actually her husband and his brothers and sisters, one of the pioneering groups in...
, Howard Goodman, Charles "Rusty" Goodman, and Sam Goodman. - Ruby LaffoonRuby LaffoonRuby Laffoon was a politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He was the state's 43rd governor, serving from 1931 to 1935. At age 17, Laffoon moved to Washington, D.C. to live with his uncle, U.S. Representative Polk Laffoon...
, GovernorGovernor of KentuckyThe Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
of KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 1931–1935 - Tim MayprayTim MayprayTim Maypray is an American professional football wide receiver, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League . Maypray returns kicks for the Alouettes during the 2010 season...
, professional football (gridiron) player - Justin Miller, professional football (gridiron) player
- Byron ParkerByron ParkerByron Wesley Parker is a gridiron football cornerback for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
, professional football (gridiron) player - Dottie RamboDottie RamboDottie Rambo was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy and multiple Dove Award-winning artist. Rambo, along with husband Buck and daughter Reba, formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos...
, Gospel Singer/Songwriter - Frank RamseyFrank Ramsey (basketball)Frank Vernon Ramsey, Jr. is a former professional basketball player and coach. A 6-3 guard, he played his entire nine-year NBA career with the Boston Celtics and played a major role in the early part of their dynasty, winning seven championships...
, hall-of-fame basketball playerBasketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide... - Jimmy RobertsJimmy Roberts (singer)Jimmy Roberts was an American singer. He was a featured performer on the TV variety program The Lawrence Welk Show during its entire broadcast run from 1955 to 1982....
, singer with The Lawrence Welk ShowThe Lawrence Welk ShowThe Lawrence Welk Show is an American televised musical variety show hosted by big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally in Los Angeles for four years , then nationally for another 27 years via the ABC network and first-run syndication .In the years since first-run syndication...
, 1954–1982 - Demetrious Johnson (fighter)Demetrious Johnson (fighter)Demetrious Johnson is an American mixed martial artist, who competes as a bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Johnson is ranked among the top ten bantamweights in the world by leading mixed martial arts publications...
UFC Bantamweight contender - Leva BatesLeva BatesLeva Bates is a female professional wrestler who is currently working throughout the American independent circuit. She is best known for her time in SHIMMER.-Career:...
, Professional Wrestler